IC card reader

ABSTRACT

To present a highly reliable IC card reader for detecting when it is ready to communicate with an IC card by using a detection switch. In a main body unit, a torsion spring is thrust in a pushing direction of a detection switch button (OFF direction). In the presented switch mechanism, an IC contact point holder has a switch changeover bump, and when the bump moves to the inner side in cooperation with the move of the IC contact point holder, this bump abuts against the end portion of the torsion spring which is thrusting the detection switch button, and the end portion of the torsion spring is departed from the button.

This Application is a U.S. National Phase Application of PCTInternational Application PCT/JP/00/04653.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a card reader for handling a cardhaving magnetic stripes IC chips, and reading and writing information,and an electronic apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional IC card reader comprises, as shown in FIG. 4, a cardinlet 2 in which an IC card 13 is inserted, an IC contact point holder 3which moves to the inner side of the IC card reader main body when theIC card 13 is inserted, and a detection switch 9 which detects when theIC card 13 settles home at specified position at the moving end positionof the IC contact point holder 3. When the IC card 13 is inserted, an ICcontact point 13 a buried in the IC card 13 abuts against a contact 4 ofthe contact point holder 3 disposed inside the IC card reader. When theIC card is inserted further inside, the contact point holder 3 a pushesa contact point switch button 9 a, so that the detection switch isturned on. When the detection switch is turned on, the host side and ICcard 13 are electrically connected, and information is exchanged betweenthem.

When exchange of information is over between the host side and IC card13 through the IC card reader, the IC card 13 is pulled out of the ICcard reader.

At this time, since the IC contact point holder 3 is thrust to the ICcard discharge side by a return spring 7 fitted to the IC contact pointholder 3, the IC contact point holder 3 moves to the discharge sidetogether with the IC card 13. At this time, the detection switch button9 a being pushed in by a rear end 12 of the IC contact point holder 3returns to the state before insertion of the card (switch OFF).

In such conventional IC card reader, however, the detection switch 9 fordetecting when it is ready to communicate as the IC cared 13 is insertedinto the inner side of a guide path 1 a of the card reader main body andthe contact 4 fitted to the IC contact point holder 3 contacts with theIC contact point is disposed in a printed circuit board 10 or main bodycase 1. The detection switch 9 is turned on or of f by pushing in thebutton 9 a by pressing a leaf spring of the switch in cooperation withthe motion of the IC contact point holder 3 or IC card 13. Accordingly,the detection switch 9 may not be correctly turned on or off or theswitch may be released due to fluctuation of insertion stopping positionof the IC card 13, or fluctuation of repulsive force or setting heightof the spring of the detection switch button 9 a. As a result, the ICcard 13 may not be read. Or when the IC card 13 is inserted quickly, astrong impact may be directly transmitted to the detection switch, andthe switch may be broken or deviated in position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The IC card reader in a first aspect of the invention comprises

an IC card reader main body having an IC card guide path in which an ICcard is inserted,

an IC contact point holder for holding a contact point to contact with acontact point of the IC card, the IC contact point holder being disposedmovably in the inner direction of the IC card reader main body, and

a detection switch for recognizing the contact between the IC contactpoint on the IC card and the contact point of the IC card reader side,

in which the detection switch is turned on or off by a bump provided onthe IC contact point holder.

The IC card reader in a second aspect of the invention comprises

an IC card reader main body having an IC card guide path in which an ICcard is inserted,

an IC contact point holder for holding a contact point to contact with acontact point of the IC card, the IC contact point holder disposedmovably in the inner direction of the IC card reader main body,

a detection switch for recognizing the contact between the IC contactpoint on the IC card and the contact point of the IC card reader side,and

an elastic member for turning on or off the detection switch,

in which the IC contact point holder has a bump for releasing theelastic member abutting against the detection switch.

The IC card reader in a third aspect of the invention comprises

an IC card reader main body having an IC card guide path in which an ICcard is inserted,

an IC contact point holder for holding a contact point to contact with acontact point of the IC card, the IC contact point holder being disposedmovably in the inner direction of the IC card reader main body,

a detection switch for recognizing the contact between the IC contactpoint on the IC card and the contact point of the IC card reader side,

a switch button provided in the detection switch, and an elastic memberprovided in the IC card reader main body for thrusting the switch buttoninto the detection switch,

in which the IC contact point holder has a bump for releasing theelastic member abutting against the switch button.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view showing an embodiment of IC cardreader of the invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state beforeinsertion of IC card in the embodiment of IC card reader of theinvention, FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state of the IC cardreaching the inner depth of the IC card reader in the embodiment of ICcard reader of the invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing aswitch mechanism of a conventional IC card reader.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below whilereferring to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, the IC card reader comprises a card reader main body 1, amain body case guide groove 1 a, a card inlet 2, an IC contact pointholder 3, a contact point holder boss 3 a, a switch changeover bump 3 b,a contact 4, a card guide 5, a card detection switch 6, a return spring7, a torsion spring 8 as elastic member, a detection switch 9, a printedcircuit board 10, and a magnetic head mechanism 11.

In this configuration, the card reader main body 1 forms a card guidepath 1 a in which the card is inserted. The operation is explained inthis configuration. An IC card 13 is inserted into the card inlet 2 ofthe IC card reader while spreading widely the card guide 5. The IC card13 abuts against the contact point holder boss 3 a projecting to thelower side of the IC contact holder 3, and is inserted into the positionfor reading and writing information in the IC card 13 together with theIC contact point holder 3 being thrust by the return spring 7. In themidst of this process, four guide bumps 3 c provided at the side of theIC contact point holder 3 move along the guide groove 1 b and 1 c of themain body case as the main body 1, so that the contact point holder 3 islowered.

When the contact 4 (in leaf spring structure) disposed in the IC contactpoint holder 3 abuts against the IC card 13 and is deflected, thecontact 4 pushes the IC card 13 in the lower direction of the main bodycase 1, so that the IC card 13 is held at a specified position in the ICcard reader.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the IC card 13 is not inserted in the ICcard reader. The switch changeover bump 3 b of the IC contact pointholder 3 is positioned in the direction of the card inlet 2 shifted fromthe place of installation of the detection switch 9.

On the other hand, the detection switch button 9 a provided in thedetection switch 9 so as to project in the placing direction of the mainbody case 1 when the switch is turned on is pushed in the direction tobe pushed into the detection switch 9 (the switch OFF direction) by theend portion of the torsion spring 8 fitted to the main body case 1.

At this time, supposing the spring force of the detection switch button9 a to be F1 and the spring force of the torsion spring 8 to be F2, therelation is F1<F2. A similar function is obtained by using leaf springor resin lever (with return spring) instead of the torsion spring 8, andpushing the detection switch button 9 a.

Or, as shown in FIG. 3, when the IC card 13 is inserted into the innerside of the IC card reader, the switch changeover bump 3 b of the ICcontact point holder 3 abuts against the end portion of the torsionspring 8 abutting against the detection switch button 9 a by force, andmoves the torsion spring end portion in a direction departing from thedetection switch button 9 a, thereby changing over the switch. Theswitching timing at this time is explained in detail. When the IC card13 is pushed into the inner side of the IC card reader, the IC card 13abuts against the contact point holder boss 3 a, and lowers the contactpoint holder 13 while moving to the inner side along the guide grooves 1b and 1 c of the main body case. As a result, the contact 4 disposed inthe contact point holder 13 abuts against the IC contact point 13 a onthe IC card 13. When the IC card is further pushed into the inner side,the switch changeover bump 3 b of the IC contact point holder abutsagainst the end portion of the torsion spring 8 which is pushing thedetection switch 9 a. When the IC card 13 moves further inward, the endportion of the torsion spring 8 is departed from the detection switchbutton 9 a by the move of the switch changeover bump 3 b. The moment ofrelease of the detection switch button 9 a from the torsion spring 8,the detection switch button 9 a automatically resets by the spring inthe switch. At this time, the detection switch 9 is turned on, therebyallowing to exchange information between the IC card 13 and the hostside. Further, when pulling the IC card 13 out of the IC card reader,the IC contact point holder 3 moves together with the IC card 13. Atthis time, the end portion of the torsion spring 8 being pushed anddeflected by the switch changeover bump 3 b returns to the originalposition, and pushes the detection switch button 9 a to turn off theswitch. Afterwards, the contact 4 ascends along the guide groove 1 c,and is departed from the IC contact point 13 a of the IC card 13.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As explained so far, according to the IC card reader of the invention,in cooperation with the motion of the IC contact point holder, thetorsion spring pushing the detection switch button is pushed into theinner side, and the detection switch button is released by this action,so that the detection switch is securely turned on or off. Besides, ifthe IC card switch is inserted quickly, strong impact is not directlytransmitted to the detection switch, and the switch is not broken ordeviated in position, so that the IC card information can be exchangedsecurely.

What is claimed is:
 1. An IC card reader comprising an IC card readermain body having an IC card guide path in which an IC card is inserted,an IC contact point holder moveable in the main body in a direction ofthe guide path and having a holder contact point for contacting with acontact point of the IC card, said holder having a bump, a detectionswitch, and an elastic member having an elastic force urged towards saiddetection switch, said IC contact point holder moveable in the main bodyand in a direction of the guide path, so that when an IC card isinserted into the main body said bump pushes said elastic member againstsaid elastic force and away from said switch to release the elasticforce on said detection switch to cause said switch to transition itsstate.
 2. An IC card reader comprising an IC card reader main bodyhaving an IC card guide path in which an IC card is inserted, an ICcontact point holder moveable in the main body in a direction of theguide path and having a holder contact point for contacting with acontact point of the IC card, said holder having a bump, a detectionswitch having a spring loaded switch button, and an elastic memberhaving an elastic force urged towards said detection switch to depresssaid switch button, said IC contact point holder moveable in the mainbody and in a direction of the guide path, so that when an IC card isinserted into the main body said bump pushes said elastic member againstsaid elastic force and away from said switch so that said spring loadedswitch button is released from said elastic force to cause saiddetection switch to transition its state.
 3. The IC card reader of claim1, wherein the elastic member is not integral with the bump.